Wayne Dowler

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I've gone so far as to put out soccer cones to define my space. Interaction with kids can be fun, but absolute control is needed!! I fly quads mostly, so it is a bit different. Still need that control, along with a big dose of confidence in your abilities. And that only comes through "time on the lines"!

All the Rev B series are no longer in production and will only be available as store's stock dwindles or on the used market. Got to keep an eye out for them! There are also many other options out there today. No longer the "knock-offs" either, but solid, good looking, and capable. The Djinn, Phoenix, 3 Winds, Freilein, ABS, Shook, Polo, and Rev, all share the quad market. All are based on Joe Hadzicki"s wing design in some form with some minor changes done. (just generalizing here) .But all have good quality workmanship and fly well. Can't hardly go wrong with any of the choices out there today!

Depending on how "high" your winds get there, most can make do with a standard - full vent combo. The mid is a great kite, but there would still be times it will be overpowered. Those 2 sails and a couple of frames will handle just about anything.

In response to your quote - I was just on the Prism website - unless something has changed, they are still in production. Might be harder to find, but still made. After reading other threads - that may be out of production. I see on the Kite Shoppe website, that she has one. Slight sail discoloration and discounted $40.00 USD. Don't know about shipping and taxes, maybe the discount makes up for some of it? She is one of this site's sponsors, look under Ultralight Wind Range to see it. http://www.thekiteshoppe.com/

It's all fun, even messing with the twisted lines. If you watch JB's tutorial on line management - you should never have really twisted lines again. Maybe a few small twists here or there, but nothing major. Watch that tutorial til your sick of it - then watch it some more! Once you develop that system and get it successfully - NEVER DEVIATE! Do it the same way over and over - a habit!! Never let someone else wind your lines - if they are a mess, it's all on you that way!

This was taken during the taping of a local TV destination show - Grant's Getaways - about 3/4's of the field!

Didn't get started until 2011!! I have an indoor soccer center to use. Being retired, I can go in the hours of it not being used. It has been a wonderful therapy after having a stroke. Works on my balance, hand eye coordination, trusting my footwork, etc.

So what do today's efforts look like? Similar or very different?

Got any pix? I fly just a regular indoor Rev. I really don't enjoy taking it outdoors. It flies very different from any of my outdoor kites.But it does what I need it to do indoors. Kites do seem to influence how a person's style develops tho.

In the Prism line it is an Ozone (out of production) or the Zephyr. The Zephyr seems to be a well liked, light wind choice here! Are you only considering Prism? There are many other manufacturers out there to choose from. But Prism is a known, tried and true brand. The Kite Shoppe is a good online source, so too are ITW, Kite Connection, A Wind of Change, and Flying Smiles Kites Also offer several in other wind ranges too. Right now on ITW, there are sales on 2 kites - The Hydra and The Kymera. Both are good capable kites in the mid wind range. Nice thing both on sale for just over $100! But it all depends on what wind range you want to fly in!

The Quantum is a good choice. Strong and robust, able to handle abuse reasonably well. No framed kite is indestructible, so be aware. That said the Quantum is pretty strong. Tip: If there is no hope of saving the kite in a crash situation - STEP FORWARD, DO NOT PULL! All you do by pulling is drive the kite even harder into the ground! Learn to - Give to the Kite!!! Take all the power out of it. Better to go straighten up your kite after a crash, instead of finding a broken mess of rods and/or torn sail.

Got a feeling that will pop in a back lit situation!!

And that is why most quad fliers have several different sails in their bag!! You'll learn which you need for any day. Might even find you have to switch, depending on winds. (like you did) It is always a match up thing.

I guess my question is - is there a "hole" in your quiver of kites that you want to fill? Low end? Middle? Personally not really into high winds here. Rather go quad if the winds are up. A low wind Prism would be the Ozone. Flies when most stuff is grounded. Not a "trick monster" and takes a light hand, but flew in winds my friend's Qpro sul didn't handle. But again, not a trick monster. The only other Prism I have really flown was the Alien. Odd little kite with a bent LE. I tend to fly it in slightly higher winds as the design seems to pull less. But again if the winds are up - I grab a vented quad. Both are no longer in production and there seems to be a cult of Prism owners that buy almost anything Prism. So keeping your eye on forums like GWTW is key - and having cash at the ready! I've seen kites posted for sale that go in minutes!!!

I guess my worry was over the possible wear caused by the bridle rubbing on the TE. In the pix, it looks like the bridle ends up behind the sail, with the cap in that position, and has to rub the TE. Maybe not in real life? Just an optical thing?

So riff - You have eliminated the bunji cord altogether? Is the bridle rubbing on the TE coming off the cap that far up? No bunjis - how does the rod go in? Just questions - I have really enjoyed seeing your work!!

Quads indoors - 10' is pretty common, 8' fits in tight spots.

Personally - I didn't get to fly the Djinn in really high wind, so no opinions there. I did fly a Full Vent in way less wind than I normally would, and it performed great. I was in a line leading with the F/V, with a STD and MID behind me! Any minute I expected either to run me over - never happened! I was duly impressed by its performance! No idea on any frame changes, I flew what was in them at the time. Pretty sure it was whatever comes stock. If it gives any frame of reference - I was flying a Phoenix STD or Ashes I believe, when I tried the Djinn.

"since the wind range overlap is so broad" Indeed!! Here is my experience with it ..... Up at WSIKF one day, John had all 3 versions of the Djinn out for people to try. The std version was always in someone's hands, so John suggested I try the midvent. I put it up, made a minor adjustment to the top lines and flew a bit. Felt good, but in those light winds, nothing stood out to me as spectacular. After a bit I put it down, told him very nice, and was waiting for the std to come open. Then he says - "Try the full vent." Now I'm skeptical, these winds wouldn't be enough to fly what I use regularly, so I look at him and he says - "Just try it." So I launch it, and am amazed that it can even fly in these winds! Then a strange thing happens - pretty soon I'm leading a line of fliers. Now this may not seem out of the ordinary, as I do this fairly regularly, BUT I"M DOING IT WITH THE FULL VENT!! Any moment, I'm expecting the mid and/or std to run me over!! NOT! Led for quite a bit, put it down, and just shook my head!! Did I just see what I thought I saw?? OVERLAP? - INDEED!!

Breezin - changing quad frames is extremely simple. Nothing to untie. Just slide out the 3 pieces that make up the LE, put in the new ones, put the caps back on. Changing the verticals is a snap. Some go so far as to completely remove the frame on breakdown. Then they can put in whatever frame they want, given conditions. It's just that for me (with several kites built for specific wind conditions), it is easier to have favorite sail/frame combos. Then switch sails as conditions change.

An old subscriber!! There may be hope for some of us yet!!! Congrats!

Welcome to inland winds! It is hardly ever what the forecast says. That said - if you can fly in those conditions - you can pretty much fly anywhere! Low wind flying is an art, a skill, only learned by doing. Can it get frustrating? You bet. No fun going out , setting up, and not enough wind to fly. Good equipment helps, or rather the correct equipment. Yes, a light wind kite would work better in the conditions you describe. So will light and/or short lines. But the biggest tool is you! Knowing your gear is part of the battle, but knowing the techniques for low winds is all up to you. And it is only learned by putting your time into it.

Weakling!! LOL!! Unless you got a really tight sail! I had no trouble following the directions for tightening the sail. My only issue was that one side of the bridle was tied wrong and needed redoing. Not really difficult, once I figured out why the sides didn't match. OK now. I also made all my bridle connections come off in the same direction. (Just the quad flier in me). All in all, very happy with it. Now to go fly it!!

Forgot to add this after my discussion with Paul de Bakker - he recommended I tape down the little battens for the winglets. Felt that as the sail stretched and many chances of losing them in handling, it would be better to tape them down in place. I'm guessing they should roll up OK? Anyone else?? By roll-up, I mean rolling up when breaking down for the day.